DENVER — A hop farm on the Western Slope in Colorado is open its doors to the public, giving people an up-close-and-personal chance to see how this crucial ingredient is grown — and to taste it at the source.
For eight years, Billy Goat Hop Farm has operated a 32-acre plot off Highway 550 in Montrose, Colorado, where it grows up to a dozen different hop varietals. Though it has hosted a locally beloved beer festival since 2022, it is now rolling out new options that will allow drinkers to visit throughout the summer and fall.
Those include farm tours, a Friday night event series and even a campground where people can sleep among the bines (the long stems of hop plants). And yes, craft beer made with Billy Goat hops is expected to be served onsite to help give campers a sense of place.
By opening the farm to the public, co-owner Audrey Gehlhausen hopes to provide a glimpse not just into a farm that is important to the beer industry, but to the agriculture industry as a whole, especially at a time when independent farms are dwindling in Colorado.
“Creating a community space that’s welcoming for kids and dogs will hopefully help bring awareness to agriculture, where the ingredients in your beer are coming from, and hopefully be a pivot that can help keep us alive,” Gehlhausen said.
That is, in part, what inspired Gehlhausen and partner Chris DellaBianca to develop The Down At the Hop Yard Campground. The duo created 12 campsites along the perimeter of the hop trellises that can accommodate tents, cars, and vans. The campground features flushable toilets, potable water, hot showers and a communal fire pit.
While RVs are welcome, Gehlhausen noted that campsites do not have electric or water hookups, and there is not a dumping station. All sites can fit vehicles up to a maximum of 30 feet long. Reservations cost $25 per night on HipCamp.
Hop harvest typically takes place in early to mid-August, meaning the bines will be tall, lush and at their most aromatic by June or July, Gehlhausen said.
Campers and day trippers can now book a tour of the hop farm any day of the week. Tours cost $10 per person if they include at least three people. Any fewer than that will require $30 per tour. Add on a beer tasting for an extra $5 per person. Tours are available by appointment only; contact Billy Goat Hop Farm directly to schedule a time.
If you’d rather just pop in for a beer, Billy Goat launched its open house series, Fridays at the Farm, on May 23. From 2 to 9 p.m. every Friday until October, the farm will have a food truck onsite and serve beers made with its signature hoppy product. It is also debuting new beverages — non-alcoholic hop waters and hard seltzers called Hop Drool — for thirsty patrons this summer.
Guests can bring their kids and dogs, and enjoy yard games against the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains. At least once a month, there will also be a live bluegrass jam.
Gehlhausen said Billy Goat hopes to add more special events, and that its signature beer festival, Fresh Fest, will return on Sept. 20.